1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods for distribution of music recordings to wireless communications devices, such as cellular telephones. It also relates to business models for such distribution of music. The term “music recording” is used herein broadly to refer to any recording of music, regardless of the type or genre of the music.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless communications devices such as personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, and the like can be provided with appropriated hardware and software to provide a platform for playing digital media content, such as music recordings. For example, a cellular telephone may also include an MP3 player and be able to play music downloaded to the cellular telephone.
Music can be distributed to wireless communications devices using several different methods. In one method, music content is streamed from a server on a computer network (such as the Internet) over an air interface to the wireless device using known wireless technology. The wireless device includes buttons or other user interface devices that the user uses to select the media content they wish to experience. A streaming media application (such as a streaming media player from RealNetworks), plays the content as well as provides an interface to a media distribution application resident on the network. The underlying technology for streaming media content to a wireless device is known in the art. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,587,837; 6,564,263; 6,449,638 and 6,548,747 for background description of the current state of the art. The content of these patents is incorporated by reference herein. Media session announcement, session invitation and session initiation for wireless devices over internetworks is typically performed in accordance with the Session Description Protocol, which is described in the IETF Request for Comments 2327, M. Handley et al., dated April 1998, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. Media session coordination and initiation is also described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,205,140 and 6,359,902, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Another mechanism for distributing music to wireless devices is download and play later. Typically, the device includes an interne browser. The user uses the browser to accesses a web site where music can be downloaded onto the wireless device in a digital format (such as MP3) and stored on the wireless communications device for later play.
Both the streaming and download and play later contexts for distributing media to wireless devices require that the cell phone have substantial memory capacity to store the music files. To meet this need (as well as supply memory for other cell phone functions such as photography), some of the latest generation of cell phones are now equipped with miniature hard drives with 2 gigabit (GB) storage capacity or even more. Other cell phones have slots for large capacity (1-4 GB) flash memory cards. With the advent of cell phones with large memory capacity, the ability for cell phones to compete with MP3 players and other portable media players is now presented.
While the distribution of digital music files to wireless devices has clear consumer appeal, the music publishing industry and copyright holders are wary of new distribution methods due to the potential for unauthorized distribution and copying of copyrighted materials. Thus, for any digital media distribution system to be viable, particularly in the context of music (virtually all of which is the subject of copyright protection), digital rights management techniques must be in place in order to control unauthorized copying and distribution of protected music. U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,837 describes, among other things, a method and system for distribution of electronic media which takes into account these considerations. The techniques of the '837 patent including a secure container containing the media, encryption techniques, and usage condition data which include copy and play restriction data. The '837 patent is also incorporated by reference herein.
This invention provides a user friendly, simple, and easy to implement subscription model for allowing wireless communication devices to access their favorite music and select new favorites, while simultaneously providing for digital rights management and copyright controls to prevent unauthorized distribution and copying of music.